Backmuir Wood

Backmuir Wood is a 140.58acre woodland in the Scottish county of Angus, about 4km northwest of Dundee. It is located south of the A923, between the villages of Muirhead and Liff. Since 1996, the woodland has been under the ownership of the Woodland Trust, which manages it in partnership with a local community group. The area of the wood has been extended since then, including the acquisition of a further 17 acres (7 hectares) in 2009. Backmuir Wood is a diverse woodland, which is home to a variety of different tree species. It also provides a habitat for the red squirrel, a protected species in the UK.HistoryBackmuir Wood is an ancient woodland, which was acquired by the Woodland Trust in 1996, with financial assistance from a number of sources including Scottish Natural Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund. At the time of acquisition, the area of the wood was 111 acres (45 hectares), but it has been extended while under the ownership of the Trust. In 2000, the Trust used funding from Homebase to purchase an adjacent 4-acre (1.6-hectare) field to extend the wood, as part of the "Woodlands for the Millennium" scheme in celebration of the 2000 millennium. The planting of over 8000 trees on the site began the following year, and this plantation became known as Millennium Corner. A commemorative feature, consisting of standing stones within a ring of copper beech trees, was also placed in the wood. In 2009, following a fundraising appeal, the Trust was able to extend Backmuir Wood by another 17 acres (7 hectares).